I'm a mini lover by heart and love the go-kart feel of them.

My 06 R53 is Fast, it brakes hard and the steering feel is awesome. MPG is great. I love it. Pretty nimble too!

I'm running a stock R53 besides 16% pulley + the right plugs and CAI. Zero suspension mods, no RSB and running the oem 17 inch S-lites with grippy tires

I'd like to tighten up the handling/turning of the car, keep it a little more flat. I don't want to lower it at all.

I've heard people say I should get a rear sway bar... or change the suspension.

I have a $120 credit at way motor works I need to use right now so that could be something?

I'm not mechanically inclined so I have to pay people to install things on my car.

I've also heard there was a oem stock SPORT suspension that even base R53s did not come with but you could upgrade to. I'd be very interested in this.

So where should I begin for best $$ to fun ratio?

at 69,000 miles now

What say you?

Yes, rear sway bar, absolute must for handling, OEM sport suspension is slightly stiffer but not much, I have the the springs if you decide you want to try it, I'll let'm go cheap, just pm me. (That's all there was to the "support" suspension upgrade.) Better/upgraded control arm bushings wouldn't hurt either. Oh and when it comes time to do shocks/struts Koni FS's.

Can anyone educate me on rear sway bars for our minis?

I see things like 19MM or 22MM with the cost being around $200 or so

I daily drive it so I don't want to over do it but certainly more tossable!

Do you already have sport suspension plus? You can look it up by your vin. I thought all if the s models had it.

Seems all R53s came with SS+ from factory standard

So this means I should look into a rear sway bar first of all.

Rear sway bar....
One more thing....
Often overlooked....
Lighter rims...
With those S "HEAVIES" IMO a mini handles like a truck...get lighter rims...you will be amazed.
When I have my mini on 15 snows, it feels so fun, playful, and tossible, it is a joy....I run 16's for summer....the lightest oem 16, the x-lites.....tried heavy rims once.... For about two days...justvsucked....was very stable going STRIGHT...but my car did not like turning anymore....

Pretty sure that came on cars with the "sport package"....included xenon's, DSC, and 17" summer rims....(at least that is how I remember it to 2004/05 when I ordered mine)...

If you have an R53 it already has the sport suspension. The sport package did not come with a suspension any different than any other R53.

A rear swaybar-19mm would be my choice & a set of nice light wheels. That is a very good place to start.

+1 on rear swaybar. I bought the Eibach from Discount Tire Direct - cheapest I could find and it's just fine. Agree with the lighter wheels too, but before I spent the $$$ for that I would do the fixed camber plates from Ireland. Way has them and that might be the best use of your credit there.

Hands down an Hsport Comp bar would be the best bang for the buck to improve handling.
Also since you have 69k your front control arm bushings are prob worn so going with a set of Powerflex control arm bushing and bring new life to the suspension feel and save tire wear.

+1 on Ways advise, the hollow 25mm SportComp bar gives you the same performance of the 22mm bar with less weight.

According too realoem, there is a difference in springs as to which suspension pkg you order from the factory. (At lest inn my'05, which matches what the dealer told me.....lol....so who knows.....)